The changes in media consumption brought on in reaction to the virus are meaningful to advertisers and media buyers. When consumers watch more, they might be willing to listen to brand messages. “But in an outcomes-based world where marketing ROI means converting brand messages into sales for services or products, these consumers may not risk leaving their homes to spend. Instead, they may opt to lean into the click-to-buy route,” the report said. The COVID-19 virus is also likely to increase usage of social media, Nielsen said. According toe Nielsen Social Content Ratings, from January through February, there were 110,000 TV-related tweets mentioning either coronavirus of COVID-19. “As COVID-19 continues to spread, this serious health threat has already shaken world markets and, no doubt, will affect the media ecosystem. Understanding, and potentially hedging ad and media investments could help buoy any shrinking margins, build awareness for public health messages and maybe even get consumers’ worried minds off a threat through the power of entertainment,” the report concluded.
